Condenser



- w. LONSDALE CONDENSER Filed Oct. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jul 22 1924.

W. LONSDALE CONDENSER 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5

Jul 22 1924. 1,502,256

' W. LONSDALE CONDENSER 7 Filed Oct. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 W.LONSDALE CONDENSER Filed Oct. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 OOOOQ OOOOQGO f/moooooooedooooooo o0 uwlh& 0000 gwuento'a Patented July 22, 1924.

UN? g WILLIAM LONSDALE, OF RO S ELLE PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOER, TOWHEELER CON- DENSER & ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF GARTERET, NEW JERSEY.

CONDENSER.

Application filed October a, 1922. S er1a1 No. 592,174.

To all to 7mm it may concern I Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM LONSDALE, acitizen of the. United States, residing at Roselle. Park, in the countyof Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Condensers, of which the following is a specification.

'This invention relates to surface condensers, the fundamental object ofthe invention being to approximate the results secured by thetheoretically ideal, single tube condenser.

In surface condensers it has been found difficult and, in fact,practically impossible to secure uniform flow of the exhaust steamentering the condenser to all parts of the cooling surface. Furthermore,it has been found difiicult to prevent undue cooling of the condensateif sufficient cooling surface is provided to insure adequate cooling ofthe non-condensible gases always present in exhaust steam.

The present invention. involves subdivi sion of the cooling surface inthe condenser into a plurality of units, each of which is designed tocondense the-steam received by it completely, without unduly chillingthe condensate. Each such unit is provided with individual means forwithdrawing the non-condensible gases, and may be further provided withindividual means for collecting the condensate. The condensate socollected can thus be discharged into the hot well, with little or nofurther contact with any cooling surface in the condenser. Thenon-condensible gases are wlthdrawn through a cooler which, in the broadaspects of the invention, may form a part of the condenser itself or maybe entirely external thereto.

The. effect is so to coordinate the flow of condensible vapor,non-condensible gases and condensate within the condenser that theexhaust steam is subjected to cooling action only suflicient to producecomplete condensation, the condensate and the non condensible gasesbeing immediately separated and each subjected to characteristicallydifferent treatment consonant with high thermal efficiency.

Differently considered the improved con-' denser may be said to comprisea single shell which houses a plurality of units. each made up of acooling element, a closely asusual construction. the shell of the vacuumchamber, Wl'llCh sociated offtake for air and, in some cases, also acondensate collecting tray, the various trays discharging into the hotwell of the condenser and the air ofi'takes being connected through acommon manifold to the air'pump. This insures short flow-paths for thecondensible vapor, and consequently also for the condensate, in contactwith the cooling elements, precludes the accumulation of condensate incontact with cooling elements, insures the immediate separation of theair and the condensate and hence permits cooling of the airwithoutabstraction of heat from the condensate. This last feature isofimportance because, the heat of the liquid of the condensate is notwasted, and yet the air is chilled on its way to the air pump securingthe well recognized gain in air pump efliciency.

In the drawings, I illustrate several specifically different embodimentsof the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a condenser partly in elevation and partly insection. In this view only one tube cluster is shown in order to avoidconfusion.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and in this View all thetube clusters are shown. a

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, showing one vacuum tube inlongitudinal section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 1, illustratinganalternative construction in which three vacuum tubes, differinginlength, are used.

Fig. 5 is a tube sheet diagram, illustrat-- ing the arrangement of thewater and vacuum tubes in the structure of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a tube sheet diagram for a condenser of the type in which onlytwo tube clusters are used. Each cluster is provided with a plurality ofvacuum tubes some of which are arranged individually and others of whichare arranged in clusters.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the condenser shell is indicated at11, the'exhaust steam inlet at 12 and the hot well at 13. The partsabove mentioned are all of Annular casting 14 is serves as the manifoldof the vacuum tubes hereafter described. This chamber is separated fromthe interior of the condenser shell by the separator plate 15, which, as

hereafter described, is drilled to permit the water tubes and the vacuumtube to extend through the plate. The inlet waterbox shell is shown at16, and at 17 is shown the tube sheet in which the ends of the watertubes are fixed and through which they communicate with the interior ofthe water-box. The plate 18 is the head closing the end of thewater-box. The cooling water enters at 19. At the opposite end of thecondenser is the outlet water-box, whose shell is indicated at 20. Thetube sheet is shown at 21 and the head at 22. The cooling water flowsout at 23.

The water tubes, which are of the usual form, are shown at 24. They arefixed at their ends in the tube sheets 17 and 21 and pass through holesprovided for the purpose in the separator plate 15. They need not maketight fits with this plate as the complete isolation of the vacuumchamber within the shell 14 from the condensing space Within the shell11 is not necessary. The tubes 24 are supported at their midlengths bymeans of a supporting plate 25 and in the particular embodiment chosenfor illustration the tubes are arranged in clusters hexagonal incontour.

In the spaces intervening between the clusters of tubes the supportingplate 25 is provided with openings or ports 26 so that the plate 25 doesnot separate the ends of the condenser from each other.

At or near the center of each cluster of tubes 24 is what I call avacuum tube 27. These tubes, at their right ends (with reference to Fig.1), fit over a plug or stud 30 fixed in the tube sheet 21, and at theirleft ends are similarly held by a threaded plug 31 screwed into the tubesheet 17 The tubes 27, at short intervals throughout their length withinthe condensing chamber, are provided with ports or openings 28 which areshown round but may be of any shape preferred. It is important that theopenings 28 be of suificient size to prevent their being blinded bycondensate flowing over the exterior .of the tube. Between the tubesheet 17 and the separator plate 15 the tubes 17 are formed withelongated slot-like ports 29. Thus the tubes form connections leadingfrom the interior of each cooling tube cluster within the condensingspace to the vacuum chamber or air pump manifold.

Mounted beneath each tube cluster except the lowest is a tray 32, whichis supported in longitudinally inclined position by angle brackets 33riveted respectively to the separator plate 15, the supporting plate 25and the tube sheet 21. These troughs may be inclined, as shown, to feedthe condensate toward the ends of the condenser or, if preferred, theymay be reversely inclined to feed the condensate toward the middle ofthe condenser. In either case the tronghis made short enough to leave aninterval at its lower end through which the condensate discharges, sothat it flows down to the bottom of the condenser shell 11 and to thehot well. It will be observed that where the water tube clusters are .instaggered relation, as shown in Fig. 2, part of the condensate will flowagainst the end portions of the water tubes of lower clusters, but thiscontact is comparatively slight and is not sufiicient to have anyappreciable cooling effect on the condensate. Obviously any desiredmeans might be adopted to prevent such contact, if deemed desirable.

In order to return to the hot well any condensed steam which mightotherwise tend to collect in the vacuum chamber or air pump manifold,the connection 34, having the siphon trap 35, is provided between thebottom of the vacuum chamber and the hot well. The air pump (not shown)is connected at 36 so that the pump draws directly from the interior ofthe Vacuum chamber which as stated serves as a manifold for the vacuumtubes. The condensate pumps are connected at 37 to draw condensate fromthe hot well 13.

The general operation of the condenser above described will be obviousto those skilled in the art and hence it is necessary only topoint outimportant novel operative characteristics.

The exhaust steam entering through the connection 12 flows around theclusters of tubes 24 and since the air pump is withdrawing air from thevacuum chamber through the connection 36 and since the interior of thevacuum chamber is in connection with the middle of each tube cluster bymeans of the perforated vacuum tubes 27, there is a constant tendencyfor the mix ture of steam and air entering through the exhaustconnection 12 to flow to the center of each tube cluster.

In this flow the condensible Vapor or steam is condensed and showersinto the corresponding trough 32. At the same time the air is cooled andis withdrawn through the vacuum tube 27. The condensate discharging fromthe low end .of the troughs 32 flows to the bot-tom of the condensershell 11 and thence to the hot well 13 so that the condensate does notremain in contact with any cooling surface in the condenser for anymaterial length of time after it has showered fromthe tube cluster inwhich it was condensed. Therefore, it becomes possible to proportion thetube clusters, as to size of tube and the number of tubes in eachcluster, so as to condense the'steam completely without materiallyover-cooling the condensate.

The use of clusters of a generally circular or hexagonal contour withthe vacuum tube at the center of the cluster is advantageous. Itreducesthe number of vacuum tubes by increasing the number of coolingperature.

tubes which one vacuum tube will serve. It provides a diminishing flowpath for fluids flowing toward the vacuum tube and undergoingprogressive condensation. It affords convenient intercluster flow pathsand allows the clusters to be accurately proportioned to the dutyimposed on each.

Furthermore, it is possible to cool the noncondensible gases as theyflow from the condenser. at or near the point of entrance to the vacuumtube 27, for the vacuum tube, being at the center of the coolingcluster, is at a point of low temperature. Furthermore, since the vacuumchamber is adjacent to the inlet water-box and, in a single passcondenser such as is illustrated, is traversed by the entrance end ofall the water tubes, it is necessarily maintained at a very low tem-Consequently the outfiowing air is subjected to a further and pronouncedcooling action within the vacuum chamber, as it flows to the outletconnection 36. A similar, but perhaps less pronounced, cooling effectwould be had in condensers in which the water makes two or more passesand no limitation to single-pass arrangement is implied.

Obviously, various different arrangements of the vacuum tubes may bemade, and I wish particularly to call attention to that illustrated inFigs. 4 and 5. Here I make use of a plurality of vacuum tubes, threebeing shown. These tubes are indicated by the reference numerals 41, 42and 43. These tubes are not perforated but each is open only at its endto the interior of the shell 11. If desired, however, the sides of thetubes might be perforated in whole or in part, in the mannercharacteristic of Fig. 1. Within the vacuum chamber, each tube isprovided with a slot 29 so that the cluster of three tubes is, as awhole, functionally substantially identical with the single perforatedtube 27 already described.

Various other types of tube will suggest themselves and the onesillustrated are chosen merely for purposes of explanation.

It is also to be noted that in the construction of Fig. 4 more than onesupporting plate is used, two being shown in this figure. .These platesareprovided with ports similar to the ports 26, described with referenceto Figs. 1 and 2, so that they do not permit the formation of of thecondenser.

Fig. 5 shows clusters of three vacuum tubes, arranged at or near thecenters ofcorresponding clusters of water tubes.

l/Vhile I prefer to arrange the water tubes in a relatively large numberof clusters, the cluster arrangement is not always essential and, incertain cases, it may be necessary to pockets at the ends This coolingaction is pronounced arrange the tubes in one or two large groups. Suchan arrangement, is shown in Fig. 6. Because of the size of the tubegroups, it is desirable to use a large number of vacuum tubes. Thesetubes may be of the laterally perforated type, described with referenceto Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or may be of the open-ended type, described withreference to Figs. 4 and 5, or both types of tubes may be usedconjointly, the exact form of the vacuum tube not being material.

In Fig. 6 the water tubes are indicated by the reference numeral 24 andthe vacuum tubes by the reference numeral 45. The vacuum tubes 45 areshown larger, and are indicated by heavier lines, than are the watertubes, and hence may be readily distinguished. It is contemplated thatwith the arrangement shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, as Well as in thearrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, ,use may be made of thecondensate collecting trays 32 for upper clusters. Inasmuch as Figs. 5and 6 are simply tube sheet diagrams, these trays do not appear in thesefigures and their use is not essential though commonly desirable.

While vacuum tubes, such as described are the best means known to me foraccomplishing the desired result, it should be borne in mind that theirchief function is to draw the non-condensible gases from a number ofpoints throughout the length of the cooling tube clusters and thusdistribute the cooling duty evenly throughout the lengths of theclusters and balance the duty as between different clusters. Anyequivalent means for performing this function may be substituted.

It will be observed that condensers constructed according to myinvention conform closely to standard practice so that it is possible tomodify existing designs, or even existing condensers, to convert them tothe improved type forming the subject of the present application.

What is claimed is 1. A surface condenser of the water tube typecomprising in combination a shell, water tubes arranged in a pluralityof clusters within said shell and spaced therefrom and from each otherto permit the entrance of gases and vapors from all sides of the variousclusters; a plurality of offtakes for non-condensible gases, saidoiftakes being surrounded by and positioned centrally among the tubes ofcorresponding clusters, and having inlet ports at points substantiallythroughout the length of said water tubes: and a manifold for saidofftakes mounted within said condenser shell and arranged to be cooledby said tubes.

2. The combination with a condenser including a shell and water tubestraversing the space within said shell and arranged in clusters, ofmeans dividing said space into a condensing chamber and a vacuum cham-Ill ber; both transversed by said tubes a site tion connection leadingfrom the vacuum chamber; and a plurality of relatively small ductsleading to the vacuum chamber from a plurality of points within thevarious tube clusters.

8. In a condenser, the aombination of a closed shell having an inlet forexhaust steam and an outlet for condensate; a plurality of cooling tubesarranged in clusters within said shell; means for conducting coolingliquid to and from said tubes; individual condensate-collecting traysfor each cluster of tubes arranged to feed condensate to the condensateoutlet Without substantial further contact with cooling tubes; a vacuumchamber having an outlet connection to an air pump; and vacuum tubesconnected with said vacuum chamber, extending longitudinally withincorresponding clusters of cooling tubes, and having entrance openingsfrom the space within said shell at different points in the length ofthe cooling tubes.

4. In a condenser, the combination of a closed shell having an inlet forexhaust steam and an outlet for condensate; a plurality of cooling tubesarranged in clusters within said shell; means for conducting coolingliquid to and from said tubes; a vacuum chamber having an outletconnection to an air pump; cooling means in said chamber; and vacuumtubes connected With said vacuum chamber, extending longitudinallywithin corresponding clusters of cooling tubes, and having entranceopenings from the space within said shell at diiferent points in thelengths of the cooling tubes.

5. In a condenser, the combination of a closed shell having an inlet forexhaust steam and an outlet for condensate; a plurality of cooling tubesmounted within said shell; means for conducting cooling liquid to andfrom said tubes; a vacuum chamber having an. outlet connection to an airpump; cooling means in said chamber; and vacuum tubes connected withsaid vacuum chamber and extending longitudinally in intervals betweencooling tubes, and having entrance openings from the space within saidshell .a'djaccnt different points in the lengths of the cooling tubes.

(3. In a condenser, the combination of a closed shell having an inletfor exhaust steam and an outlet for condensate; a plurality of coolingtubes arranged in clusters within said shell; means for conductingcooling liquid to and from said tubes; a vacuum chamber having an outletconnection to an air pump; cooling means in said neona e chamber; andvacuum tubes connected with said vacuum chamber, extendinglongitudinally Within corresponding clusters of cool ing tubes, andhaving entrance openings from the space within said shell at differentpoints in the lengths of the coOling tubes.

7. In a condenser, the combination of a shell constructed and arrangedto form chambers in the following order, Water-box chamber, vacuumchamber, condensing chamber, water-box chamber; water tubes extendingbetween the water-box chambers and through the vacuum chamber andcondensing chamber; ducts leading from a plurality of points in thecondensing chamber -to the vacuum chamber; a steam inlet to thecondensing chamber; a condensate outlet serving to conduct condensatefrom the condenser; an air pump connection leading from the vacuumchamber; and water connections for the water-boxes.

8 In a condenser, the combination of a shell constructed and arranged toform chambers in the following order, water-box chamber, vacuum chamber,condensing chamber, (water-box chamber; Water tubes extending betweenthe water-box chambers and through the vacuum chamber and condensingchamber; ducts leading from a plurality of points in the condensingchamher to the vacuum chamber; a steam inlet to the condensing chamber;a condensate outlet serving to conduct condensate from the condenser; anair pump connection leading from the vacuum chamber; and waterconnections to and from the water-boxes, constructed and arranged toproduce flow from the first named water-box to the second whereby thevacuum chamber is maintained at the lowest available temperature. 9. Ina condenser, the combination of a shell constructed and arranged to formchambers in the following order, Water-box chamber, vacuum chamber,"condensing chamber, water-box chamber; water tubes extending between"the water-box chambers through the vacuum chamber and condens;

ing chamber and arranged in clusters spaced from each other and fromsaid shell; ported oiftake pipes communicating with said vacuum chamberand extending longitudinally within corresponding clusters near thecenters thereof; a steam inlet to the condensing chamber; a condensateoutlet from the condenser; an air pump connection leading from thevacuum chamber; and water connections for thewater-boxes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WM. LONSDALE.

